We're in the midst of another major food recall – this time it's for eggs that are thought to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall includes at least 320 million eggs sold nationwide, and officials believe that hundreds of people may have been sickened (and expect that number to grow). In the face of such a widespread recall, you may be wondering how you can protect yourself from food poisoning.

First of all, health officials recommend that consumers throw recalled eggs away immediately. Check out this news story for a complete list of affected brands. When it comes to future egg use, thorough cooking and proper handling are essential. FoodSafety.gov offers the following tips:

Preparing and Handling Eggs Safely

• Cook scrambled eggs until they are firm.
• Cook fried, poached, boiled, or baked eggs until the white and the yolk are firm.
• Cook egg mixtures (like casseroles) until the center of the mixture reaches 160° F.
• For homemade ice cream and eggnog do one of the following:
       -Use a heated egg-milk mixture and make sure it reaches 160° F
       -Use pasteurized eggs or egg products
• Avoid icing recipes that use uncooked eggs or egg whites.
  
• If your recipe calls for uncooked eggs, do one of the following:
       -Heat eggs in one of the other liquid ingredients until the mixture reaches 160 °F
       -Use pasteurized eggs or egg products
• Eggs should be stored at 45° F or below. Salmonella is less likely to grow at this temperature.
• Dishes containing eggs shouldn't be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Discard any egg that has a dirty or cracked shell.

Make sure you follow these tips even if the eggs in your refrigerator aren't subject to the recall, because there's always a risk of Salmonella poisoning from raw eggs. You can visit my firm's food safety tips page for more recommendations.

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Here's a scary finding from a USA Today investigation: safety standards for fast food restaurants are higher than those for school lunches.

For example, the investigation found that McDonald's, Burger King, and Costco test their ground beef for bacteria and pathogens five to 10 times more often than the USDA tests beef used in schools. Similarly, KFC won't buy the chicken used in school lunches and Campbell's Soup stopped using it decades ago based on "quality concerns."

It's unbelievable to think that school lunches aren't held to the highest standards. Parents should be able to send their children to school knowing that they are as safe as possible. According to the article, experts say raising the bar for school lunch safety wouldn't be difficult – hopefully administrators take action soon.

I recommend reading the USA Today article – it contains a lot of good information that may surprise you. And if you'd like more information on food poisoning, you can check out my firm's website.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I'm sure many of you look forward to your Thanksgiving feasts for months in advance. Eating a good meal with loved ones is a wonderful way to spend a holiday, so make sure that you keep the day illness-free and do as much as you can to avoid food poisoning. The Food and Drug Administration has compiled a list of safety tips that you can follow while preparing your meal, and I highly recommend checking it out. You can also read one of my previous blog posts on safe food shopping.

I hope you take a few moments to give thanks for the special things and people in your life. I know I couldn't be more thankful for my wonderful family, friends, and all of the people who work with me at my law firm. Have a great holiday!

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The front page of yesterday's USA Today highlights something that I consider to be an important issue: the food safety system in our country. It specifically addresses food safety in school cafeterias, reporting that schools know almost nothing about where their food comes from, even if federal regulators are aware of safety concerns.

The article details the case of Del Ray tortillas, which sickened over 100 students in Racine, Wisconsin in the fall of 2007. Prior to the outbreak in Racine, Chicago's Del Ray Tortilleria was responsible for outbreaks in more than a dozen schools from 2003-2006. And in 2006, a study done by an FDA panel offered the following warning: "Flour tortillas manufactured by Del Rey hold the potential to cause illness."

So how did the tortillas continue to make it into school cafeterias? The FDA never shared the panel's findings with school officials. Furthermore, it wasn't until earlier this year that the government shut down Del Ray's operations to make the company fix its safety and sanitation problems.

Today, USA Today ran a follow-up story saying that the Agriculture Secretary has promised better food safety alerts to schools. He says that the FDA and the USDA are working to improve communication between the two organizations, which are both responsible for regulating food manufacturers. Let's hope that this promise holds true and that unsafe foods are kept out of our schools and away from our children.

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Most people think of food poisoning as a few days of stomach problems – something that can be awful while it lasts but eventually comes to an end. A new report, however, has found that most foodborne pathogens can cause serious medical conditions. The following five common pathogens in particular may increase the risk of long-term health complications:

1. Campylobacter is associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, the most common cause of paralysis in the United States. It can also lead to heart infections, arthritis, and blood infections.

2. E. coli is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children in our country and has been linked to end-stage kidney disease, insulin-dependent diabetes, and neurological complications.

3. Listeria monocytogenes is associated with infections of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to serious neurological dysfunction or death. This occurs most often in children under the age of four. It can also lead to miscarriage, premature birth, or stillbirth.

4. Salmonella can cause reactive arthritis.

5. Toxoplasma gondii infections can lead to cognitive or visual disabilities.

At my law firm we've seen how dangerous food poisoning can be, and even though it isn't 100% avoidable, there are a number of steps you can take to keep you and your loved ones a safe as possible. Here's some information that may help you:

Food Safety Tips

Safe Grocery Shopping

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After awaking from a nine-week long coma in 2007, a 22-year-old children's dance instructor found that she was paralyzed from the waist down. Her kidneys had failed. Seizures knocked her unconscious. The cause? Something you may be eating for dinner tonight – a hamburger.

Many people think of food poisoning as a few stomach cramps and a couple of days of not feeling well. At my law firm we know just how wrong this assumption can be. We've seen firsthand that foodborne illnesses can have severe consequences. I encourage you to look at these tips on preventing food poisoning.

To learn more about what happened to Stephanie Smith, and why it is a risk too many people face, check out this New York Times article.

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There haven't been any food poisoning illnesses announced in relation to the recent milk products recall so far, but I still think it's important to put up a post on it. What many people don't realize is that one recall can cause a domino effect of recalls that may eventually lead right to your kitchen cabinets or refrigerator.

The milk product recall includes instant non-fat dried milk, whey protein, fruit stabilizers and thickening agents produced by the Plainview (Minn.) Milk Products Cooperative, ingredients that are used in a number of items. This has resulted in dozens of recalls that I encourage you to check out.

A USDA and FDA investigation detected Salmonella in a milkshake powder in June, leading to the initial recall. Symptoms of Salmonella include fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

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As Americans across the country fire up their grills for the holiday weekend, it's important to keep in mind the possibility of illnesses from raw meat. This is especially crucial in light of the beef recall that's been in the news lately. The United States Department of Agriculture has collected some tips that I would like to share with you to keep you and your family safe.

1. Just because a meat's color may make it look fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to double-check. Ground beef and hamburgers should have an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. After buying meat, refrigerate it within two hours and within one hour if it's hotter than 90 degrees outside. Also, refrigerate cooked meat within two hours of cooking it.

3. Before and after handling raw meat, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water. This also applies to any cookware or utensils used to prepare the food, like dishes and cutting boards. 

4. Keep raw meat separate from food that will not be cooked.

5. For more information or updates in regards to recent meat recalls, you can visit the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service at AskKaren.gov or by calling the USDA's hotline at 888-674-6854.

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The New York Times recently ran an article about food illness detection that I think is really interesting. Many reports on this topic have focused on detection and investigation at the federal level. This is, of course, an important issue, but there's another one that I think deserves attention as well – efforts that are made on the state level.

The Times article highlights a really good example of the discrepancy that exists throughout the country. In Minnesota, officials work diligently to investigate current outbreaks and prevent them from getting bigger. The Minnesota Department of Health was actually responsible for identifying Peanut Corporation of America, Dole, and ConAgra as the sources of recent food poisoning outbreaks. The following statistic from the Times article is also impressive: "From 1990 to 2006, Minnesota health officials uncovered 548 food-related illness outbreaks."

Compare this to the 18 outbreaks uncovered in Kentucky and you can see the inequality in the investigative work that's being done. Experts say the numbers are lower in Kentucky not necessarily because there are fewer illnesses, but rather because illnesses aren't being investigated, even if they are reported to officials. The article reports that the public health commissioner for Kentucky has blamed this on budget restrictions.

It's true that most states can face obstacles in nailing down food poisoning sources that are out of their control, from laboratory delays to inconsistent reporting on the part of healthcare providers. In certain regions, however, these obstacles are more pronounced, and the consequences can be serious. I definitely recommend reading the article if you'd like to learn more.

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After the recent salmonella outbreak traced to unsanitary conditions at peanut processor Peanut Corporation of America, lawmakers have introduced legislation that would take food safety oversight away from the Food and Drug Administration and give it to a new agency with more power and funding. Along with consumer groups and food industry giants like Kellogg, lawmakers are insisting that the current system is broken and ineffective. Click here to read the Associated Press article that details the system's failures and how the government wants to fix them.

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So far, over 3,000 products have been recalled in the recent peanut salmonella outbreak. Understandably, there's a lot of confusion abut what foods are safe to eat and which ones should be avoided. Here's some advice from food safety experts:

• Check your pantry, cupboards, and other places where you have foods stashed and look for products that include peanut granules, peanut meal, dry-roasted peanuts, oil-roasted peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut paste.

• Read labels carefully for peanut-related ingredients and production dates, and check for the product on official recall lists.

• Most major peanut butter brands, including Jif and Peter Pan, are safe.

• Peanut oil is also safe because it's processed separately from peanut butter and paste products.

• If you're dining out, ask about dishes made with peanuts, especially Asian foods that use peanut butter and crushed peanuts and vegetarian dishes that might use peanut products as meat substitutes.

• If you're still not sure about a particular food or dish, it's best to be cautious.

If you think you've already gotten food poisoning, you can check my firm's website for information on symptoms and what to do next.

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Food poisoning is a serious illness and my law firm has seen firsthand how devastating it can be. From victims of the Sheetz tomato salmonella outbreak to those who contracted hepatitis A at Chi Chi's, we've helped numerous clients who've been affected by foodborne illness. That's why it's particularly difficult for me to hear how widespread this latest salmonella outbreak is and that the manufacturer knowingly shipped products contaminated with salmonella.

Even though salmonella isn't the most lethal foodborne illness, it's the most common one. It affects about 15 out of every 100,000 people, and experts say that once it's in the food supply and dries out, it's very difficult to remove. This particular outbreak has affected 600 people, including 17 in Pennsylvania, and might have contributed to eight deaths. The recall that the outbreak prompted is now the largest in U.S. history.

The good news in western PA is that Giant Eagle is trying to slow the effects of the outbreak in our region. Its cash registers are programmed to block the purchase of any recalled products that might somehow make it to the checkout line (officials said that none of their peanut butter brands were affected, and two Giant Eagle brand products had to be removed from shelves). Unfortunately, a recent survey conducted by researchers at Harvard found that most Americans aren't even aware of which foods are affected by the recall, so if recalled products are already in their cabinets and they eat them, they could potentially get sick.

Please be aware of the latest recalls. The FDA's website has a complete list of recalled products and my firm's site is constantly updated with the latest salmonella outbreak news.

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Did you know that epidemiologists assume that for every case of salmonella poisoning, or salmonellosis, that is reported, there are more than 38 other people who get sick but don't go to their doctor or get tested? That means that the recent outbreak caused by contaminated peanut products could be responsible for over 20,000 illnesses! Such a widespread outbreak always leaves the public with a ton of questions - what exactly is salmonella poisoning? How serious is it? How is it treated? Here are some answers.

Salmonellosis begins when salmonella is ingested and the bacteria begin growing in the intestines. Most people's bodies fight it off and never get sick. Depending on the state of your immune system and how much bacteria you have, however, salmonella can resist the body's defenses and infect the colon. This can lead to serious symptoms, such as severe stomach pains, diarrhea, and fever, that generally last four to seven days.

The severity of someone's salmonella poisoning is also determined by the strength of their immune system and the amount of bacteria present. Another factor is age – the very young and very old are especially vulnerable to serious disease, and it can be fatal to people in these groups. Also, there are thousands of different strains of salmonella, and experts say that they appear to affect the body in slightly different ways. Some of them are worse for younger people, some for older. Some hit boys harder than girls, and some are worse for women than for men.

The above information came from an interesting article in the USA Today. You can check out my firm's website if you'd like more info on salmonella or other types of food poisoning, including food safety tips.

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Judging by the order form in my office, many people are breathing a sigh of relief – the Girl Scouts have announced that their cookies are safe to eat. The organization is making sure that the public knows their products aren't affected by the recent salmonella outbreak.

Experts are saying that people should avoid peanut butter products until the problem has been fully resolved, but the scouts have said that they buy their cookies from a manufacturer that voluntarily tests its peanut butter, and the batches have gotten the green light for safety.

(This really is good news for my staff – Do-si-dos and Tagalongs are leading in number of orders so far!)

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It's been confirmed that Peanut Corporation of America is the sole source of the salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people. Now people are beginning to ask, how did the products get contaminated in the first place?

Here's a good ABC news article that discusses the answer to that question.

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Ever had food poisoning? Believe me, it's not fun. The number of people who've been affected by the recent peanut butter salmonella outbreak keep getting bigger. Foodborne ailments are responsible for about 325,000 hospitalizations a year, so preventing their spread has become a top priority for health officials and consumers. You can begin protecting yourself from food poisoning at the grocery store with these simple steps.

1. Check for cleanliness. Making sure that a retailer observes proper food handling practices is crucial to ensuring that the food you purchase is safe. You should ask yourself: What is the general atmosphere of this facility? Does it smell and look clean?

2. Keep certain foods away from one another. Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your shopping cart. You should also put these products in separate bags at checkout.

3. Inspect cans and jars. Don't buy food in containers that are bulging or dented. In addition, do not buy food in jars that are cracked or have loose or bulging lids.

4. Don't buy frozen food if it looks as though the package is damaged. If the packaging is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean that the food has been stored for a long time or has been thawed and then refrozen.

5. Select frozen foods and perishables last. Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs should be the last items placed in your shopping cart.

6. Choose fresh eggs carefully. Before you put a carton of eggs in your cart, open the container and make sure that the eggs are clean and completely intact. Buy only refrigerated eggs and make sure to follow the "Safe Handling Instructions" on the carton.

7. Pay attention to time and temperature. Refrigerate perishable products as soon as possible after grocery shopping. Food safety experts say to follow the "two-hour rule" – perishable foods shouldn't be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Change the rule to one hour when temperatures are above 90 degrees F, as they often are in cars that have been sitting in the sun.

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Sometimes it can seem like every food is dangerous and that foodborne illness is unavoidable. The latest outbreak in the headlines involves salmonella-tainted peanut butter, and more than 400 people in over 40 states have become sick. Twelve illnesses have been reported here in Pennsylvania.

 In an ideal world, all food manufacturers and processing plants would follow the most stringent safety guidelines and assume full responsibility for consumers' health. Unfortunately, we all know that most times this doesn't happen.

That is why my law firm has collected resources to help you avoid food poisoning in your home. We keep our web site up-to-date on the latest food poisoning news and we also have a number of food safety tips that include guidelines on food storage and preparation. Nothing can make you completely immune to foodborne illness, but there are simple steps you can take to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

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For the past week, yet another major food poisoning outbreak has been making headlines on a daily basis. This time, the culprits are Roma, plum, and red round tomatoes contaminated with salmonella. So far, over 200 people in 16 states have fallen ill with salmonellosis, and many restaurants and supermarkets have removed tomatoes from their menus and shelves.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet pinpointed the source of the contamination, although it is known that the salmonella strain is called saintpaul and that tomatoes grown in certain regions are safe to eat. The FDA announced that tomatoes grown in Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands and Puerto Rico are all safe for consumption.

Sometimes it seems as though there is very little you can do to protect your family from the dangers of food poisoning. However, there are a number precautions that you can take to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses. Proper food storage techniques, thorough food preparation, and safe food handling practices are all important to avoiding the risk of food poisoning. There are also grocery shopping guidelines you can follow to help you avoid bringing dangerous bacteria into your home.

While these methods, like any safety precaution, can't guarantee that you and your family will never experience food poisoning, they are easy-to-follow steps that can greatly decrease your chances of consuming contaminated food.

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It was only five months ago when I posted a blog about the second largest beef recall in American history. Now I’m back to talk about tainted meat again. More specifically, I’m talking about the biggest beef recall of all time – over 143 million pounds of meat.

By now it’s well known that public schools across Western Pennsylvania – in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties – have confirmed their possession of this tainted beef. Some of this recalled meat has even made it onto the lunch trays of our children.

The recall was prompted by animal abuse of sick cows. Despite having full time inspectors on working on-site, the abuse wasn’t exposed until the Humane Society had an employee of the processing plant take a video of the cows being abused.

The government believes that a good portion of the 143 million pounds of recalled Westland/Hallmark Meat Company beef has already been consumed. Although the health risk of eating this meat has been labeled at “negligible,” that doesn’t mean it’s without risk. Stay safe and know about the beef you’re serving before you take a bite.

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Check your freezer. The Topps Meat Company and Sam’s Club have recalled enough ground beef to make a hamburger for everyone in America. A frightening amount of these frozen beef products may be tainted with E. coli, a dangerous form of food poisoning.

The frozen meat from Topps accounts for the second largest beef recall in United States history. No one has died from the Topps E. coli contamination yet, but many have become ill. Just after the Topps recall was announced, Sam’s Club pulled nearly 850,000 lbs of American Chef’s Selection Angus Beef Patties processed by Cargill. Four Minnesota children have already become sick from this meat.

Where do the recalls end? The government has announced that they’ve revamped their meat recall procedures, but not soon enough. E. coli poisoning is far more serious than a simple case of diarrhea – many of the victims must receive hospital treatment. Severe E. coli infections in the young and old can even lead to death.

I hope for the sake of everyone in this country that the companies who supply our stores with tainted food begin to take responsibility for their actions and ensure the safety of their products.

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Lately it seems like there are several food poisoning warnings every week. Recently, hundreds of people were sickened by Salmonella after eating Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter. Within the past week, I’ve seen cantaloupe and mushroom recalls, and that’s on the heels of a major E.coli outbreak linked to bagged spinach last year.

The irony is that people think they’re eating “healthy” by serving their families fresh produce and even organic foods, and then they get violently ill. Certain jars of Earth’s Best organic baby food were pulled from the shelves because of botulism, a potentially deadly meal for an infant.

Continue reading "Barrage of Food Poisoning Outbreaks" »

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This is exactly why I started a blog – so I could quickly get the word out on important news that could impact you. Check your kitchen pantry and cabinets for Peter Pan or Great Value brand peanut butter. Look under the lid. If you see a product code starting with “2111” and you purchased the jar after May 2006, do not eat the peanut butter. It could be contaminated with Salmonella, which causes symptoms including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever and headaches. Salmonella food poisoning can even be deadly in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Continue reading "Urgent Salmonella Outbreak Alert: Tainted Peanut Butter" »

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